Tuesday, 24 May 2011

A joint campaign by a network of civil society organizations will be launched to aware the general public about the non-violent protest of Irom Sharmila. Sharmila is on hunger strike since 2000 in Manipur with her demand to repeal the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA). The decision for a joint campaign was taken in the meeting “Save Sharmila campaign” organized on 19th May in New Delhi.

It should be noted that the “draconian” law has always been criticized by the civil society organizations. Organizations campaigning for Sharmila include Gandhi Global Foundation, Jagriti Mahila Samiti, National Alliance for People’s Movement (NAPM), Asha Parivar, Khudai Khidmatgaar, Mission Bhartiyam, Yuva Koshish and Sadbhavna Mission.

Representatives from these organizations besides Human Rights Law Network and Mission Bhartiyam were present in the meeting. Civil society groups to launch mass campaign for Irom Sharmila
- twocircles.net -

In the meeting, Mr. Faisal Khan of NAPM said that very few among general public were aware about Sharmila's sacrifice to establish democracy and peace on real ground. Therefore as a concerned citizen and as a human being, “it is our responsibility to support her through public awareness and appeal through various ways.”

A candle light prayer will also be organized at Rajghat to support the gandhian way of protest by Irom Sharmila. Mr. Ravi Nitesh of Mission Bhartiyam proposed various other activities such as online campaign, signature campaign and peace march. “Srinagar to Imphal Yatra” will also be organized to “join the hearts and gather support for Irom Sharmila's protest,” Khan informed.

Saturday, 21 May 2011

As per the schedule, a meeting organised on 19 May 2011 at Dutta Colony, Jor Bagh, New Delhi on the concern of "Save Sharmila campaign".
SUMMARY
It has been decided in meeting that a joint network of organisations (Gandhi Global Foundation, Jagriti Mahila Samiti, NAPM, Asha Parivar, Khudai Khidmatgaar, Mission Bhartiyam, Yuva Koshish & Sadbhavna Mission) will launch a campaign to aware the general public about the Non violent protest of Irom Sharmila, who is on hunger strike since the year 2000 with her demand to repeal the Armed Forces Special Power Act. It should be noted that the law has already been criticized by various CSOs, human rights organisations and general public and thus termed as Lawless law or Draconian Law.
MINUTES OF MEETING
In the meeting, Mr. Faisal Khan of NAPM/Asha Parivar told that very few among general public are aware about Sharmila's sacrifice and struggle to establish democracy and peace on real ground and therefore as a concerned citizen and as a human being, it is our responsibility to support her through public awareness and appeal through various ways. In continuation, Mrs. Nirmala Sharma proposed to write letters to President and Prime Minister, to ask questions on this issue, to appeal for a review committee on AFSPA and to make public the all the received replies, so that people can understand the ground situation and government's ignorance over the issue. Veena Behan told that we will jointly organise a candle light prayer at Rajghat to support the gandhian way of protest by Irom Sharmila followed by other activities to aware the public on this serious issue. It has also been decided that Mr. Faisal Khan and Mrs. Nirmala Sharma will co ordinate with organisations to generate massive support from various sides and to make it a truly public initiative to repeal the draconian law and to support Irom Sharmila. Mr. Ravi Nitesh of Mission Bhartiyam proposed various other activities such as online campaign,signature campaigns and peace march. It has been decided that a team of volunteers who were present in this meeting will plan the route for the proposed "Srinagar to Imphal Yatra" to join the hearts, to understand the real problems, to find out the ways of peace and to give support to Irom Sharmila's protest.
PARTICIPANTS

Persons who were participated in meeting include Ms. Veena Behan (Gandhi Global Foundation), Mrs. Nirmala Sharma (Jagriti Mahila Samiti), Mr. Faisal Khan (NAPM/Asha Pariwar), Mr. Jauhar Adeeb (HRLN), Mr. Sandeep Mishra and Mr. Ravi Nitesh (Mission Bhartiyam), Mr. Nazim, Mr. Asad Ashraf, Mr. Shariq Haider Naqvi, Mr. Bilal, Syed Ali Akhtar (Yuva Koshish) and Gufraan Khan. Mr. Ehtishaam Hashmi (Khudai Khidmatgar) and Prof. V. K. Tripathi were not present in meeting but they sent their support message to support the campaign.
CONVEYING THANKS
All participants conveyed their thanks to each other and agreed to work on the resolutions passed in meeting.
We all wish and work for a peaceful co existence on the values of humanism and therefore we appeal the government to establish, follow and respect the human values at all places.
Thanks & Regards
Joint Network for "Save Sharmila" on behalf of General Public